Apparatus for making composite slabs



Aug. 4, 1959 H. R. CARPER APPARATUS FORl MAKING COMPOSITE SLABS Filed June 16, 1955 INVENToR.

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nited States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPSITE SLABS Harold R. Carper, Indianapolis, Ind., assigner, by direct and mesne assignments, of 3520/36 percent to Carl F. Spickelmier, 32 8/36 percent to Edith S. Greer, and 32 8/ 36 percent to Betty S. Spicklemire, all of Indianapolis, Ind.

Application .lune 16, 1953, Serial No. 361,983

9 Claims. (Cl. 25-1) This invention relates to apparatus suitable for use in manufacturing a reinforced concrete beam or slab of the type in which a row of individual blocks are held together by one or more longitudinally extending reinforcing members grouted in place. More specifically, the invention relates to apparatus for forcing grouting into one end of a laterally confined passage which extends for the length of the beam or slab and contains the reinforcing rods. This invention constitutes an irnprovement on apparatus for a similar purpose described in my prior application, Serial No. 258,785, filed November 29, 1951, now abandoned.

It is an object of the invention to provide means readily movable into and out of association With Kan assembled slab or beam and operative when in association with the slab to introduce grouting into a laterally confined passage extending for the length of the slab. A further object of the invention is to provide a grouting means which will introduce the grouting under substantial pressure and insure substantially complete filling of the passages in the slab.

In carrying out the invention in its preferred form I employ a grouting pump for each slab-passage and mount such pump or pumps on a carriage disposed adjacent one end of a table upon which the slab is assembled. The carriage is arranged for movement longitudinally of the slab, preferably under control of a power-operated means such as a reversible hydraulic motor of the piston-and-cylinder type. Each grouting pump is provided with an outlet fitting aligned with the passage it is to fill and faced with a gasket of cornpressible material adapted to be compressed by movement of the carriage toward the slab to provide a seal preventing escape of the grouting when the pump is operated to force grouting into the passage. Means operative from the remote end of the table is provided for stopping the grouting pnmp when grouting emerges at the remote end of the passage. In most instances, the slab will contain two longitudinally extending, reinforcement-receiving passages; and if such is the case, the carriage supports two independently operable grouting pumps, one for each of the passages, and such pumps are independently controlled.

Y The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, in partial section, showing the grouting-pumping apparatus in association Iwith an assembled slab;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, likewise in partial section, showing the same subject matter as is illustrated in Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmental vertical sections, on an enlarged scale, through opposite ends of a groutingreceiving passage; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferred arrangement of a control apparatus.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustrated a slab comprising a series of blocks 1t) assembled into a row on a table 11 having parallel block-supporting rollers 11'. The blocks have central voids 12 and, in addition, aligned horizonice tally extending openings 13 which are located near the bottoms of the blocks and form, in the assembly, continuous, laterally confined passages which receive reinforcing rods 14 extending from one end of the slab to the other. Incident to manufacture of the slab, the blocks are held together by clamping means of any appropriate type, shown as comprising a clamp rod 16 extending between clamping members 17 and 18 located at opposite ends of the slab and bearing against the outer faces of the end blocks. The apparatus with which this invention is concerned is designed to pump into each of the passages formed by the aligned openings 13 a grouting which will bond the reinforcing rod 14 in such passage to the several blocks.

At one end of the table 11 there is provided a carriage 20 having supporting wheels 21 which run on rails 22 extending parallel to the table 11. The carriage supports a pair of grouting pumps 23, each conveniently of the so called Moino type embodying a helical rotor and delivering axially. A power-operated device, desirably a hydraulic motor 25 of the pston-and-cylinder type having an associated four-way control valve 26, is provided for moving the carriage 20 on the rails 22 into and out of grouting delivery position in association 'with the slab.

The clamping member nearest the carriage 20, shown as the member 18, is provided with openings 1S aligned with the reinforcement-receiving passages in the slab, and the two grouting pumps 20 are provided with discharge fittings 28 respectively aligned with those passages. The outer end of each outlet fitting is faced with a gasket 29 of compressible material, such as soft rubber (natural or synthetic), adapted to form a seal when forced against the face of the clamping member 18.

In addition to the grouting pumps 23, the carriage 20 also supports a grouting-hopper 31. Desirably, such hopper has at its lower end a discharge neck 32 large enough to overlie both grouting pumps 23, and the bottom wall 33 of the hopper is provided with openings 34 through which the grouting may ilow into the two pumps. Preferably, the grouting hopper is provided with a stirring element 3S mounted on a rotatable, vertically extending shaft 36 lwhich may be driven by any convenient means (not shown) to keep the grouting in the hopper agitated during operation of the device.

During the grouting-pump operations, the carriage 20 Will be advanced to cause the gaskets 29 to bear with considerable pressure against the clamping member 1S. To prevent movement of the slab under such pressure, I may employ at its remote end an adjustable abutment means such as is shown at the left in Figs. 1 and 2. Such means comprise a bar 40 provided with a pair of hooks 41 adapted to engage any of the rollers 11 of the table 11. Supported from the base 40' and swingable about a vertical axis is a cam 42 engageable with the outer face of the clamping member 17. The effective throw of the cam 42 should equal or exceed the spacing of the rollers 11', so that it will be possible, by bringing the hooks 41 into engagement with the proper rol'ler and swinging the cam until it engages the clamping member 17, to provide an effective abutment preventing movement of the slab when the carriage 20 is advanced the slab ready to receive the grouting, the abutment de? vice is positioned at the remote end of the slab and the cam 42 thereof swung to bring it into engagement with the adjacent clamping member 17. The valve 26 is then operated to ca use the motor 25 to advance -the carriage 20 and force 4the gaskets Z9 -iirmly against the face of the clamping member 18. With the carriage held in advanced position by the motor k25, `the grouting pumps are placed in operation and lgrouting is pumped from the hopper 31 through the outlet fittings 28 and through the reinforcement-receiving passages of the slab. The clamping member 17 at the remote end of Vthe slab is provided with restricted openings Sti (Fig. 3) communicating respectively with the reinforcement-receiving passages. These openings are desirably located near the top of the reinforcement-receiving passages s o that the emergence of `grouting through them will indicate ,that the passages are full of grouting. Upon the'emergence of grouting from either of the openings 50, the associated motor 46 is stopped to terminate the pumping of grouting into that passage.

Since the completion of each grouting-pumping operation is indicated by an event which takes place at the remote end of the slab, and since slabs may be of widely varying length, it is desirable to provide motor controlling means accessible at any point along the length `of the tables. For that purpose, the motors may be respectively connected to a Supply line 5S through relay switches 56 and 57 of known type having holding circuits embodying normally closed limit switches 58 and 59. Energization of either of the relay switches 56 and 57 closes the circuit through the associated motor and completes the holding circuit, which can be opened by opening of the associated switch 53 or 59 to de-energize the relay and render the associated motor inoperative. Each of the limit switches has an operating button or plunger 62 (Fig. l) engageable by a swinging lever 63 mounted on the table 11 or in some other convenient location. Wherever the two levers 63 are mounted they may be connected to cords or wires 64 having stretches which run for the full length of the table therebeneath. A pull exerted on either of the cords or wires 64 will swing the associated lever 63 and cause it to open the associated limit switch, thus rendering the associated motor and pump inoperative.

To obtain a better bond between the grouting and the blocks l0, it is usually considered desirable to Wet the walls of the openings 13 before the grouting is introduced. For this purpose, the outlet fittings 28 may be connected through valves 68 with a water-supply conduit 69. If such an arrangement is used, the valves 68 are opened temporarily after the carriage has been advanced and before the grouting pumps are started to cause Water to flow into the slab passages and wet the walls thereof. K

Successful pumping of grouting through a small passage 13 occupied by a reinforcing rod 14 and perhaps thirty feet or more in length requires grouting of suitable viscosity and ow characteristics. I prefer to employ a grouting comprising about eight gallons of water to two cubic feet of Portland cement and one cubic foot of tine sand. I vhave further found it advisable to employ a Portland cement of the air-entraining type and/or to add an air-entraining ingredient to the grouting mix.

In using the apparatus described, the hopper 31 is filled with grouting and the stirring element 35 placed in operation. iWith the carriage 20 retracted, blocks 10 in the number necessary to produce a slab of the desired length are arranged in a row on the table 11, the clamping members 1? and I8 are disposed at the ends of the row, the clamp rod 16 is passed through the clamping members, and the clamping effort is applied. The abutment device is applied to the table and its cam 42 swung into engagement with the clamping member 17. The valve 26 .is then operated to cause the motor 2S to advance the carriage 20 into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, `and 4,

thus compressing the gaskets 29 and interconnecting the pump-outlet fittings 28 with the slab-passages which are to receive the grouting. The valves 68 may then be opened temporarily to supply water to the slab-passages to wet the walls thereof. If necessary to permit escape of water from the slab-passages after the valves 68 are closed, the carriage 2Q may be backed oi to allow the Water to drain out through the openings 18 and again advanced. With the gaskets 29 again compressed, the switches 56 and 57 are closed to start the motors 4S and 46, thus causing the pumps 23 to force grouting into the slab-passages. As grouting emerges from the passage through the restricted openings 50 at the remote end of the slab, the cords or Wires 64 are pulled, by an observer appropriately located, to open the limit switches 57 and 58 and stop operation of the pumps. Finally, the valve 26 is operated to cause the motor 25 to retract the carriage 20, the abutment device is removed, and the completed slab is lifted from the table and `transported to storage space to permit the grouting to cure.

It is usually desirable to plug the openings 50 and 18 upon completion of the pumping operation and retraction of the carriage 20. For this purpose, I have found -it convenient to plug the openings 50 with wads of paper and the openings 18 with a dry mixture of Portland cement and sand.

I claim as my invention:

l. In apparatus of the type described, an elongated table for supporting a slab having a longitudinal passage, a carriage, means adjacent one end of said table for supporting and guiding said carriage for movement along a path in alignment with the table, a grouting pumping means including an outlet fitting mounted on said carriage with said outlet itting aligned with said passage, means for advancing said carriage toward the slab to bring said outlet iitting into communication with said passage, and abutment means Lon said table and engageable with the slab to prevent movement of the slab along the table under the iniluence of the pressure exerted on it by said outlet fitting.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim l with the addition of a motor for driving said pump and motor controlling means including a manually operable element kextending longitudinally of the table.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim l with the addition that said abutment means is removable and connecti-ble .to the table at any of a plurality of positions spaced therealong.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim l with the addition that said abutment means includes a movable slab-engaging cam.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim l with the addition that said table comprises a series of transversely disposed slab-supporting rollers, said abutment means including a base having a hook engageable with any of said rollers, and a slab-engaging cam rotatably mounted on said base.

6. In apparatus of the type described, an elongated table for supporting a slab having a longitudinal passage, a carriage, means adjacent one end of said table for supporting said carriage for move-ment along a path in alignment with the table, a grouting pumping means including an outlet fitting mounted on said carriage in alignment with said passage, reversible power-operated means for advancing said carriage toward the slab to bring said outlet iitting into communication with said passage, said outlet fitting including an annular gasket compressible between the outlet fitting and slab to establish a sealed connection between the outlet fitting and passage, and abutment means on said table and engageable with the slab to prevent movement of the slab along the table under the influence of the pressure exerted on it by said outlet fitting.

7. In apparatus for supplying .grouting under pressure to two longitudinally extending passages in a slab, .grouting pumping means including two outlet ttings, means including provisions rigidly interconnecting `said outlet ttings for supporting and guiding said iittings for joint 5 6 movement as a unit into and out of positions in which References Cited in the le of this patent they respectively communicate with sa'id passages, said UNITED STATES PATENTS ttmgs havmg gasket means comp'ressible between the ttings and the slab to establish a sealed connection be- 1,953,452 Wel'tZ Apl. 3, 1934 tween the ttings and the respective passages, and means 5 2,019,937 Staples NOV. 5, 1935 fOr independently Controlling the discharge of granting 2,176,891 Crom OC. 24, 1939 from each outlet fitting. 2,188,938 Brown et al. Feb. 6, 1940 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 with the addition 2,229,264 WlZ Jarl- 21, 1941 0f means for supplying water to said fitting for ow there- 2,334,294 Stevens NOV. 16, 1943 through into the slab passage. 10 2,403,643 Dresser July 9, 1946 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 with the addition 2,413,990 MUHZ Jan. 7, 1947 of a closure for that end of said slab passage which is re- 2,480,442 )300th Aug. 30, 1949 111016 frOm Said Outlet tting, said closure having a, re. 2,484,018 C1011! OCI. 11, 1949 Stricted opening communicating with the passage near the 2,596,495 Macerata May 13, 1952 top thereof. 15 2,609,586 Parry Sept. 9, 1952 2,644,497 Wilmer et a1. July 7, 1953 

